Add an option to django-admin to always colorize output

[Nicolas Noé]

With Django management commands, it is currently possible disable colors with the --no-colors flag.

What I'd like to have is basically the other side of the coin: a --force-colors flag that instructs Django to output ANSI color sequences in cases it would disable colors by default (typically, when the output is piped to another command, as documented).

My real world use-case is the following one: I have a custom Django command to import data. I run this command myself, and I'd like to send a colored log (HTML seems perfect for this) to the data curators. I can use the ​https://github.com/theZiz/aha utility for this, but that doesn't work since Django disable colors when the output is piped.

Other *nix commands have a special flag for this exact use-case, for example $ ls --color=always

[Carlton Gibson]

Hi Nicolas. I'm going to Accept this: it seems reasonable.

…in cases it would disable colors by default (typically, when the output is piped to another command, as documented).

Can I ask, where is this documented? I cannot seem to find it. Thanks.

[Nicolas Noé]

Thanks Carlton!

It is documented in ​https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/2.0/ref/django-admin/#syntax-coloring:

The django-admin / manage.py commands will use pretty color-coded output if your terminal supports ANSI-colored output. It won’t use the color codes if you’re piping the command’s output to another program.

[Carlton Gibson]

Thanks Nicolas. I just found that. (I must have been blind: I even looked in that exact location... sigh :-)

[Nicolas Noé]

I unfortunately can't find time in the short term to work on the implementation...

[Hasan Ramezani]

PR​https://github.com/django/django/pull/10213

[Carlton Gibson]

This looks good to me. (I had a couple of tiny comment which I assume will be addressed, so progressing.) Thanks Hasan.

[Tim Graham <timograham@…>]

In 5195b99e:

Fixed #29560 -- Added --force-color management command option.

[Tim Graham <timograham@…>]

In a4d8e412:

Refs #29560 -- Fixed typo in django/core/management/base.py.